Community leader Jennings Hom dies at 87

Jennings Hom

Jennings Hom

As a San Diego native, Jennings Hom grew up in Chinatown above the original Woo Chee Chong store his family founded in 1899.

As a boy, he swept the floors at the shop and would sometimes fall asleep on top of bags of rice. Over the years, the enterprise expanded from a single shop of curios and Chinese groceries to a small chain of markets selling fresh produce, seafood, meat and an array of ethnic foods. Mr. Hom eventually took over the family business that became known for its exotic and, at the time, unfamiliar ingredients such as litchi nuts, dried seaweed, black fungus and lemon grass.

A leader in the Chinese community, Mr. Hom also supported the San Diego Zoo and local arts groups and charities. He was a founding board member of the San Diego Chinese Social Service Center and served on the board of trustees of the Chinese Community Church.

Mr. Hom died of Parkinson’s disease and heart failure June 12 at his San Diego home. He was 87.

Woo Chee Chong was a local fixture for nearly a century, starting as a general store founded by Hom family uncles and cousins. In a 1990 interview with The San Diego Tribune, Mr. Hom recalled that the store would import fireworks from China when they were legal. He and his father would visit hardware stores and variety stores from La Mesa and Lemon Grove to Escondido to sell fireworks for the 4th of July.

Mr. Hom became full owner of the business in the mid-1960s and eventually opened Woo Chee Chong stores in Chula Vista, Kearny Mesa and Oceanside. Former employees said he was a good boss and hired many immigrants. “He took care of his people,” said Sai Tam, who worked for him from 1970 to 1980. “He hired a lot of college students. I never saw him get mad. He would mop floors … he didn’t have his workers do anything he wouldn’t do. He provided health insurance for his employees and this was 30 years ago.”

A man of faith, Mr. Hom credited God with his success and always wanted to help others, said his daughter, Connie Hom. “Whether it was customers or hiring students that needed a job or helping with fundraisers, he always wanted to help people,” she said.

“Jennings Hom was a role model for me and a lot of kids (in the 1960s and 70s),” said Sharon Wong. She recalled attending church youth parties at the Hom household. Mr. Hom and his wife, Mary Lou, were generous hosts, Wong said. “All the kids were inspired by him. He was warm and welcoming and very gracious.” The family home was also open to many exchange students from throughout the world.

“He was a mover and shaker in the community,” said Sally Wong-Avery (no relation to Sharon Wong). He was past president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and was instrumental in getting it incorporated as a nonprofit organization, Wong-Avery said. “Everyone in the Chinese community knew that Mr. and Mrs. Jennings Hom were very generous with financial support and moral support … also physically, they would set tables up and take tables down (for fundraising events),” she said.

Wong-Avery said he played a key role in getting a troupe of Beijing acrobats to perform in San Diego for a benefit for the Chinese Social Service Center. Mr. Hom’s generosity was not limited to the Chinese community. “He also donated to the Boy Scouts, Red Cross and fine arts groups,” she said.

Jennings Hom was born June 6, 1924, in San Diego to Tung and Shang Yee Hom. He attended Memorial Junior High and San Diego High School. He enlisted in the U.S. military in 1942. He was part of the all Chinese-American 555th Air Service Squadron of the 14th Air Force and served in India and China during World War II.

After the war, he attended San Diego State and earned a degree in business. He became manager of the family store after graduating college and eventually took over the business in 1964. The stores were closed or sold in 1995.

Mr. Hom is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Lou of San Diego; eight children, Devin Chin-Lee of La Jolla, Jeffery Hom of San Diego, Constance Hom of Fairfax, Va., Laurie Wen of San Diego, Adrienne Hom of San Diego, Carter Hom of Granite Bay, Ardythe Hom of San Diego and Warren Hom of San Diego; two brothers, Felix of La Mesa and Peter of San Luis Obispo; a sister, Louise Leong of Monterey Park; and 16 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. June 22 at the Chinese Community Church of San Diego. He will be interred at Fort Rosecrans.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Chinese Community Church of San Diego, 4998 Via Valarta, San Diego 92124.